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FTS NFO

hummerfo

Member
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After doing much searching on the PERS website and this forum, I'm still very much confused about what the career path would be for an FTS NFO, specifically a VAW NFO (seeing as though the only options are the SAU and VT-4). The PERS website states that a VAW NFO would move into "reserve component management" after a DH tour at the SAU. What does that mean? Work at a NOSC?

Thanks to any FTS wizards who can help answer my questions.
 

nittany03

Recovering NFO. Herder of Programmers.
pilot
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Super Moderator
Contributor
Just a SELRES here, but "reserve component management" probably includes NOSC CO (O-3 to O-6 depending on NOSC size) , NOSC XO (what you'd think given the previous), OSO, or various and sundry staff billets in Reserve land.

OSOs are Operational Support Officers; generally O-4/O-5 types who control the checkbook for cutting reservists' orders to support the AC. Generally at the TYCOM level, IIRC. Reserve units cut orders within their individual budgets. OSOs allocate that money per FY, get a chop on orders for financial sanity, and also are the ones to go to CNRFC N8 if a unit wants to rob Peter to pay Paul and get extra money someone else isn't using.
 

insanebikerboy

Internet killed the television star
pilot
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Contributor
Reserve management can range from wing staffs that have reserve components (i.e., MSW) to NOSC jobs to major staffs, i.e. RCC SW.

Technically as FTS you can be detailed anywhere that has SELRES or supports SELRES, so if you can convince your detailer (and find a billet) you can actually go to some random places. You just have to dig to find those spots. Of course, it's off the path but for FTS NFO there's not much (if any) chance of screening for CO so the sky is essentially the limit.

If don't think you'd screen for CO on the active side then you're not flying after your DH tour regardless of switching to FTS or not. On the FTS side after DH there's almost zero chance of going on a boat again, so that's always a plus.
 
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hummerfo

Member
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Thanks for all the responses!

A few more follow on questions:
- if you move to reserve component management, would you deploy? I saw on the PERS website that they follow a normal sea/shore rotation.
- when applying for FTS, can you apply to a different designator, or would you have to apply first in your current designator and transfer after?
- is transfer to FTS for NFOs competitive?
- in reserve component management, would you move often? Or could you essentially stay at one NOSC or region for the rest of your career?

Thanks!
 

Uncle Fester

Robot Pimp
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I've never heard of FTS deploying, per se. The SAU does send guys out to augment the Fleet if necessary, including the Boat, but the FTS guys stay home and keep the lights on.

You'll pcs about like if you were still in the regular AC, but not to sea. The FTS I knew would go to billets at the Wings (TSW and MSW), CNATRA, CNAFR, etc. I've known them to go to not-usually-FTS billets if necessary as well.

Bottom line is once you're in the FTS world, they'll help you keep a career track going. You won't find yourself without a chair.
 

Gatordev

Well-Known Member
pilot
Site Admin
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If don't think you'd screen for CO on the active side then you're not flying after your DH tour regardless of switching to FTS or not.

Not completely true. SAUs usually have an OIC that's a post DH job (at least on the rotary side) and Wing OSOs can still fly if the CDRE allows it. I'm not really clear on who owns VAW. TSW? If that's the case, then probably not going to fly since there aren't Hummers at Ft. Worth.

Big picture though, plan on going to a NOSC.
 

Uncle Fester

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Not completely true. SAUs usually have an OIC that's a post DH job (at least on the rotary side) and Wing OSOs can still fly if the CDRE allows it. I'm not really clear on who owns VAW. TSW? If that's the case, then probably not going to fly since there aren't Hummers at Ft. Worth.

Big picture though, plan on going to a NOSC.

TSW owns the VAW SAU, though they also report to ACCLW. It's a Wing SAU, not an FRS SAU like most communities.
 

insanebikerboy

Internet killed the television star
pilot
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Contributor
- when applying for FTS, can you apply to a different designator, or would you have to apply first in your current designator and transfer after?

It depends on the rules for the board you are on. The FTS detailer will release the instructions usually two-three months before the board and it'll say what you can do. Some communities seem to have allow cross assignment of designators, some don't. It's sort of vague in the recent board instructions Click Me!

- in reserve component management, would you move often? Or could you essentially stay at one NOSC or region for the rest of your career?

The old dudes say that FTS homesteading isn't as easy as it once was. It's still somewhat possible though, bounce from a NOSC to a staff and back and forth, especially if you are in a large reserve area like San Diego, San Antonio, etc.
 

hummerfo

Member
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It depends on the rules for the board you are on. The FTS detailer will release the instructions usually two-three months before the board and it'll say what you can do. Some communities seem to have allow cross assignment of designators, some don't. It's sort of vague in the recent board instructions Click Me!



The old dudes say that FTS homesteading isn't as easy as it once was. It's still somewhat possible though, bounce from a NOSC to a staff and back and forth, especially if you are in a large reserve area like San Diego, San Antonio, etc.

Copy. Because I am from North Carolina, I would be interested in homesteading at one of the NC NOSCs.

Would it be implausible to stay at one of those NOSCs for the rest of my career? By what you are saying, it seems as though I would have to move after my NOSC staff tour and do some sort of "sea duty" billet in a large concentration area.

Sorry for the amateur hour questions...the golden path has been beaten into my head for the past few years so that's all I know.

Uncle Fester, any idea how many Hawkeye FTS NFOs they select for SAU FTS every year? Is it competitive? From my short time in Norfolk, I remember the SAU being pretty small
 

Gatordev

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pilot
Site Admin
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Copy. Because I am from North Carolina, I would be interested in homesteading at one of the NC NOSCs.

Would it be implausible to stay at one of those NOSCs for the rest of my career? By what you are saying, it seems as though I would have to move after my NOSC staff tour and do some sort of "sea duty" billet in a large concentration area.

You need to get the sea/shore idea out of your head. That's not really a thing. Your first FTS tour should be as a DH where you learn Reserve Management and do DH things. After that, you can go to a staff or to a NOSC (let's forget about SAUs, since VAW is a different animal from the others). If you go to a NOSC, you could go as a CO or you could go as a NOSC staffer (generally in bigger NOSCs). If you're going to go to a NOSC, I'd argue why not just go as a CO, get that ticket punched, and at least run the place for two years.

If you go the staff tour route, expect to get tapped for NOSC CO. If you go the NOSC CO route, you could do a back-to-back tour as a NOSC CO, or PERS tries to pay back CO's with some good deal tour. Obviously what a good deal is in the eye of the detailer.

The NOSC CO slate is an opaque process that has lots of back-room deals going on outside of public view. You might be able to get a NOSC in NC, but you might not. The whole process is very frustrating the way they do it now.
 

Uncle Fester

Robot Pimp
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Uncle Fester, any idea how many Hawkeye FTS NFOs they select for SAU FTS every year? Is it competitive? From my short time in Norfolk, I remember the SAU being pretty small

The numbers will be on the FTS board message. It's usually been a pretty small number of slots for VAW FOs - 2-4-ish - but at least it's not zero, as it was a few years ago. The SAU has about four or five FTS plus the OIC (Post-DH). I've been unplugged from the community for a few years since disappearing into the robot world, but last I heard there were rumblings about moving from a SAU back to a full squadron. I imagine that will depend on the inclinations of successive CAGs and CDREs and CNAFRs.

Now there are also onsey-twosy FOs going to TRACOM for VT-4, which was also not an option until recently.

Like @Gatordev said, the sea/shore thing is a misnomer. "Sea"=working hardware unit/squadron/SAU. "Shore"=staff/school.

Anyway - there were real worries about VAW FOs going extinct in FTS and active measures to avoid that, so I wouldn't let the small numbers put you off. Bottom line, it's a viable career path, and in fact I'd say it's the best of both worlds - pay and benefits of regular AC, including a Regular retirement, but no more Boats. If I could do it all again, I would have pursued it.
 

hummerfo

Member
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Thanks so much for the information! It's something I will definitely research more and keep in my scan! Sounds like a pretty good deal.
 

Fezz CB

"Spanish"
None
I'm a recently transitioned P-3 NFO doing the reserve gig and working as a Navy contractor in San Dog. I'm also entertaining the idea of applying to the Fall FTS board for two reasons: financial security and chance to fly again. The numbers have been up and down for the past couple years WRT # of NFOs getting selected. Last board (Spring FY17), only three NFOs got picked up (VP, VAQ, HR).

Btw, it's GREAT to be back on Air Warriors after a 4-year hiatus (kids, CVN tour, two deployments, job hunting, grad school). Ready to give back!
 
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